told a lot of l

e li

ess l

ackup plan. She stood at the edge of the welcome brunch the next morning, dressed in cream linen and

g. A thin, elegant band Kai had handed

ropo

arni

ou'll ne

" Now she was

one was w

the first time at noon.

dn't h

s mag

without tou

without

nough to quiet a room.

ll, whispers circled

dress muttered, "Since

id Victor a

doesn't look l

h it all. Kai leaned toward her, voice l

re'd be a social death

ive." She gl

e you mean it?" His ja

lat

d a folder slipped u

e: a

ai

l

uniform, sitting

clen

of somet

e eyes

sts." She stared at the photo until her head throbb

Age 9 The linen

rm

f lemons

his knees to

again-his father's, deep and

moth

s glass

sil

through

't s

t mo

ye

dn't

k. That night, he learned something important: Silence keeps you

find Kai i

insi

e bal

efo

ng co

top doing that," she

dn't

the photo?"

was it

school,"

ore I disa

d out to

answers," she murmu

d

am I?" s

cess pass?" H

ow

ot just a

him, heart o

uld keep me safe,

he danger?" His silen

l-she didn't a